Thai Green Curry Bouillabaisse

Chef George Reis is always innovating the cuisine at his restaurants, Ocean and 26. Today he shares one of his cutting-edge dishes, which incorporates a variety of seafood: Thai Green Curry Bouillabaisse. At Ocean, this dish is served in a Tagine, a Moroccan cooking vessel. And when the top is removed at the table, a steamy cloud of aromas whets the appetite for the first, succulent bite.

Ingredients:

1 shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 stalk lemongrass, bruised

1 16-ounce can coconut milk

1 tablespoon green curry paste

1 lobster tail, split, prefer 3–4 ounce tail

6–8 grouper chunks (one-inch cubes)

2 medium-to-large shrimp

5–6 mussels

¼ cup vegetable stock

1 teaspoon cilantro, minced

¼ lime

olive oil

salt

pepper

¼ cup jasmine rice

¼ fresh pineapple, peeled and grilled

1 ½ teaspoon ginger, grated

½ cup water

Procedure:

Sauce: Sauté half of the minced shallot and half of the garlic in olive oil. Add lemongrass and sauté until fragrant. Add coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to simmer and stir in green curry paste. Let flavors meld 15–20 minutes and strain.

Build: In a sauté pan over medium to high heat, sauté lobster tails and grouper bites until golden brown. Flip tails, and add shrimp. Sauté on one side for one minute. Add other halves of minced shallot and garlic. Add vegetable stock and coconut curry sauce. Cover and bring to simmer. Simmer one to two minutes. Add mussels, cover, and simmer until mussels open. Turn heat off. Uncover, and add cilantro, squeeze of lime, salt, and pepper to taste.
Assemble: In a bowl, add rice. Place tails, shrimp, grouper, and mussels around rice and pour the sauce over. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, and lime wedge. Serve immediately.